Title : A Japanese guy, who advocated abolishing racial discrimination
for the first time in the worldwide forum
It was the country of Japan that appealed to the world the
abolishment of the discrimination by human race for the first time in
international conferences.
In 1919 after the WW1, Japan participated in the Paris Peace
Conference as one of allied victors as well as one of 5 Powers (US,
UK, France, Italy and Japan). Japan was excited at this
unprecedented honor.
The acting representative of the Japanese delegation was Nobuaki
MAKINO, 2nd son of Toshimichi OKUBO. MAKINO took the posts of
minister of foreign office, minister of education, etc.
Japan thought at first that the Conference would discuss how the
victors secure the interests, but US President Wilson unexpectedly
proposed establishing the League of Nations.MAKINO was
instructed by Tokyo not to get deeply involved and was unable to
make comments.
As the Conference went on, Japan was sarcastically called “silent
partner”, and the expectation from Japanese citizens turned to anger.
MAKINO made the “Racial Equality Proposal“, in a bid to revive his
reputation. The proposal was to include a chapter stipulating the
abolishment of the racial discrimination in the Charter of the League
of Nations.It was a drastic proposal made in the era when the
discrimination to the African-Americans still remained in US and the
Powers ruled many colonies.
MAKINO’s proposal had also impacts on outside of the Conference.
Africans and Irish people came to see MAKINO on a daily basis, and
explained the reality of discrimination.The topic became very
controversial, but in the end, the proposal received a majority vote
in the conference. 11 delegates voted in favor whilst 5 voted against
or reserved.The Japanese proposal was accepted by the world!!
However, though until then all the bills were decided on the majority
basis, President Wilson, the chairman, declared REJECTION of the
proposal, saying such an important matter should be decided on a
unanimous basis. MAKINO’s hope wasn’t realized.
26 years later, the United Nations was established after WWII. Chapter 1 of the Charter of the UN mentions “without distinction as
to race”.
The Japanese long-lasted wish was eventually accepted by the
international communities.
天野一男・越谷 信・高橋治之・野田浩司・八木下晃司(1989): 棚倉破砕帯の構造運動と堆積作用.日本地質学会第96回学術大会見学旅行案内書,55-86.[Amano, K., Koshiya, S., Takahashi, H., Noda, K. and Yagishita, K. (1989): Fieldtrip Guidebook ...
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